Mom's Apple Cake
A soft family classic, fragrant with cinnamon and loaded with apples.
- Prep time: 30 minutes
- Cook time: 90 minutes
This is the cake you make on a Sunday afternoon when the house smells like coffee and the apples from the market are calling your name. Soft, not too sweet, with layers of tender apples and a cinnamon aroma that fills the whole kitchen. The kind of recipe passed down from generation to generation, best enjoyed warm with a good cup of coffee.
Ingredients
-
apples
-
sucre à la cannelle
-
flour
-
caster sugar
-
levure chimique
-
eggs
-
rapeseed oil
neutral -
orange juice
-
vanilla extract
-
butter
Recipe steps
Prepare the pan and oven
Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F). Generously grease a tube pan (such as a kouglof or bundt pan) with vegetable margarine, then dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
Prepare the apples
Peel and core 5 apples, then cut each into 12 thick wedges. Place them in a bowl, sprinkle with one-third of the cinnamon sugar (about 4 tablespoons) and toss by hand to coat evenly.
Prepare the cinnamon sugar
In a small bowl, mix 130 g of sugar with 1 and a quarter teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Set aside.
Make the batter
In a large bowl, combine 375 g of flour, 400 g of sugar and 3 teaspoons of baking powder. Add 4 eggs, 250 ml of neutral oil, 60 ml of orange juice and 2 and a half teaspoons of vanilla extract. Mix vigorously until you get a smooth, even batter.
Assemble the cake
Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange half of the apple wedges on top, then sprinkle with half of the remaining cinnamon sugar. Add the rest of the batter, then finish with a layer of apples and the remaining cinnamon sugar.
Bake
Bake for about 1 hour 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Be careful not to overbake to keep the cake soft and moist.
Unmold carefully
Let cool for 15 minutes on the counter. Gently run a knife along the edges to loosen the cake. Flip onto a plate, then flip again so it’s right-side up.
Tips and variations
- Choose apples that hold up well during baking: Granny Smith, Golden Delicious or Reinette are perfect.
- You can replace the orange juice with apple juice for an even fruitier taste.
- A pinch of nutmeg in the cinnamon sugar adds a lovely extra touch.
Anti-waste tips
Don’t throw away your apple peels and cores!
You can:
- Steep them in hot water with a cinnamon stick for a comforting tea
- Turn them into homemade apple cider vinegar
- Add them to your compost to nourish your garden
